SUE THOMAS: F.B.EYE on Animal Planet

‘SUE THOMAS: F.B.EYE,’ PREMIERS MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2009 ON ANIMAL PLANET Unprecedented Primetime Series Inspired By True Story of F.B.I’s First Deaf Surveillant and her hearing dog, Levi http://gatecommunications.org/gatecomm/2009e-news05.htm “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye” premiering Monday, April 6, with a two-hour opener (8:00 – 10:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ANIMAL PLANET, is inspired by the true story of Sue Thomas, who although profoundly deaf from the age of 18 months, overcame significant obstacles to work surveillance for the F.B.I., with the help of her loyal hearing dog, Levi.  This 9:00 p.m. Monday night series is a coming-of-age, suspenseful drama starring Deanne Bray, a severely deaf actress who like Sue Thomas, was strongly encouraged by her parents to speak and read lips as well as sign.  “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye” is entertainment aimed not just at hearing audiences but at the more than 28 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States (10% of the population). As portrayed in the series, Thomas (Bray) is a somewhat sheltered young deaf woman who has recently graduated from college and who, along with her brand new hearing dog, Levi, is about to start her first real job – which happens to be with the F.B.I.  Disappointed when she is relegated to the tedious task of analyzing fingerprints, Sue doesn’t remain there for long.  A new acquaintance, F.B.I. agent Jack Hudson (Yannick Bisson) discovers her unique lip reading ability and enlists Sue and Levi to join the bureau’s elite surveillance team.  Suddenly Sue and Levi are “G-men,” caught up in a good deal more action than they ever bargained for.  But what they lack in experience, they make up for in spirit and enthusiasm. Each week, the show will present a fast-paced, inside look into high-profile F.B.I. cases based on actual recent and current events. But it’s about more than that.  It’s about the courage, perseverance and humor of Sue Thomas and here relationship with her “best friend” and hearing dog, Levi, who serves as her ears as he helps her to navigate her way through a world where she would have little chance of surviving, let alone excelling, without him.   In addition to Bray, the cast of “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye” features Yannick Bisson, Rick Peters, Mark Gomes, Tara Samuel, Ted Atherton, Enuka Okuma and Jesse as Sue’s golden retriever Levi. “Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye” is created by Dave Alan Johnson and Gary R. Johnson. Marilyn Stonehouse produces for Pebblehut Productions.